The songstress teared up when she heard her name and was clearly moved as she walked up the stage. Underwood raised her fist and said simply, "Thank you God" before moving on. Choked up with emotion, she said, "I have been blessed with so much in my life. I'm still every day trying to figure it out because I haven't done anything to deserve it." She ended, saying with emphasis, "This means so much. Thank you."

This is Underwood's fifth time as CMA Female Vocalist of the Year; she's been nominated every year since 2006. The CMA Awards co-host won the category in 2006, 2007 and 2008, 2016, and again tonight.

As fans may recall, Underwood's CMA high from last year quickly went downhill, as she fell at home a few days later and needed many stitches and lots of recovery time (as Paisley reminded her in this year's monologue). In January, Underwood released "The Champion," featuring Ludacris, for Super Bowl LII -- her first-ever pop release.

Her new album, Cry Pretty, dropped on Sept. 14; it debuted at No. 1 in over 20 countries, as well as on the country charts and Billboard 200 chart (she also became the first woman to have four county albums hit No. 1 on the Billboard 200). Cry Pretty is Underwood's seventh record to debut at No. 1 on the Top Country Albums chart; it sold more copies than any album by a woman in 2018 and sold more in the first week than any country album in three years.

Underwood scheduled to kick off her Cry Pretty Tour in May -- but first, she needs to give birth to her second child!